The Adventures of James Bond Junior 003½ facts for kids
1967 first edition cover
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| Author | R. D. Mascott |
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| Illustrator | Christopher Chamberlain |
| Cover artist | Jane Hood |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Series | James Bond |
| Genre | Spy novel |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
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Publication date
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1967 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 175 |
| OCLC | 461864 |
The Adventures of James Bond Junior 003½ is an exciting spy novel published in 1967. It's a spin-off from the famous James Bond series. The book was first released in the United Kingdom by Jonathan Cape and then in the United States. The American version had a slightly different title: 003½: The Adventures of James Bond Junior. The author used a secret name, called a pseudonym, which was R. D. Mascott.
This story is about James Bond Junior, who is the nephew of the legendary spy, James Bond. Even though the book connects to James Bond, in Ian Fleming's original novels, James Bond was an only child.
There were ideas to turn this book into a TV show or movie. In 1966, a producer named Harry Saltzman even talked about a show for a ten-year-old fighting a bad group called SPECTRE. However, these plans never happened. Later, a successful TV series with a similar name came out in 1991. This show led to more books, a video game, and comic books.
Contents
Discovering James Bond Junior
This book was an early try to create spy stories for young readers, specifically for kids aged 8 to 14. It was an official spin-off from the James Bond series. However, its place in the main James Bond story collection, known as the canon, has never been officially decided.
What is the Book About?
The story follows James Bond Junior as he tries to solve a mystery at a place called Hazeley Hall. James and his friend, Sheelagh Smith, find clues to this puzzle. When James gets hurt, the information is given to a police commander, Sir Cuthbert Conningtower. Sir Cuthbert ends up getting all the credit for solving the case. He even warns James not to say anything about what really happened.
Who Wrote This Spy Story?
For a long time, the real author of The Adventures of James Bond Junior 003½ was a secret. Many famous writers were thought to be the author, including Roald Dahl and Kingsley Amis.
Solving the Author Mystery
People thought Roald Dahl might have written it because he worked on a James Bond movie script around the same time. He also wrote a children's book later that had some similar writing styles. However, there was no clear proof that he was the author.
Eventually, it was confirmed that the author using the name R. D. Mascott was actually Arthur Calder-Marshall. He was a writer whose style matched the book's descriptions of characters and places. His family confirmed his identity many years after the book was published.
Meet the Characters
Here are some of the main characters you'll meet in The Adventures of James Bond Junior 003½:
Young Heroes and Friends
- James Bond (Junior): He is the son of David Bond and the nephew of the famous spy, James Bond 007. James has his own group of school friends called the "Pride of Lions." His teachers even call him 003½. His famous uncle sends him a special knife.
- Sheelagh Smith: She is a child, a bit younger than James. She lives at Hazeley Hall with Mr. Merck. She loves to draw and sketch. James uses sketching materials to convince her to help him get inside Hazeley Hall.
- "Pride of Lions": This is James's group of friends. They used to play at Hazeley Hall. When the new owner, Mr. Merck, puts up fences, they try to cause trouble for him. They even plan "Operation Barker" to distract Merck's guard dogs so James can sneak into the hall.
The Adults in the Story
- Mrs. Raggles: She takes care of James while his parents are away. She helps by contacting the police about what James finds out.
- Mr. Merck: He is the new owner of Hazeley Hall. He is a large man from Germany. He is involved in a plan to steal gold.
- Maureen Gubb (Auntie Mo): She is Merck's cook and housekeeper. She also looks after Sheelagh Smith.
- Commander Sir Cuthbert Conningtower: He is a former naval intelligence officer. He takes credit for James's hard work in solving the mystery.
- Captain David Bond: He is James Bond Junior's father and James Bond 007's brother. He is an airline pilot. He buys parts of Hazeley Hall at the end of the story.
Other Important People
- Squirrel Joram: He is a member of the "Pride of Lions." He was the leader while James was away. He and James have a disagreement.
- Alfie Maws: He is a pub owner and a member of the "Pride of Lions" father. He suspects something is wrong at Hazeley Hall. The "Pride of Lions" often meet at his pub.
- Nobby Scales: He is the postman and seems to know everyone's business. He helps out by dealing with one of Merck's dogs.
